Celtic might have maintained their sheer dominance in Scottish football even after Rangers’ resurgence and promotion to the top-flight, but the Glasgow giants might still lose out a few of their key resources in summer and Brendan Rodgers, the Hoops boss, might be forced to reconstruct his side even if he clinches another ‘treble triumph’ like the previous term. A few of them are surplus to requirements, some are past their prime but a number of stars are likely to switch sides due to enticing offers from English football as well as contract disputes.
Stuart Armstrong, the 25-year-old Scottish international, will enter his final year of contract this summer and the gaffer is unlikely to hand him an extension as he was caught in a stand-off with Celtic last year before penning a one-year stretch to his deal. The versatile midfielder played a pivotal role in Celtic’s domestic success last season but slipped down the pecking orders this term under the ex-Liverpool boss who has preferred Tom Rogic, Callum McGregor, and Olivier Ntcham throughout the campaign.
A hernia surgery kept Armstrong sidelined for a couple of months which, unfortunately, further jeopardized his Celtic future. The Hoops are expected to ask for a figure of £7 million for their decorated midfield sensation, which indeed is a decent amount considering the financial constraints in Scottish football.
There will be enough suitors for the Celtic star in summer and an interest from multiple Premier League outfits are expected as well who previously expressed their desire to bring Armstrong in English football. Here are three such sides who could be his next career destination.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Newly promoted Brighton & Hove Albion has impressed under Chris Hughton and are likely to retain their Premier League status despite a highly-contested relegation battle down the bottom half of the table. Armstrong was linked to a move to the south coast last summer but opted to stay at Parkhead instead. Things, however, have changed drastically in past few months and it is more likely that the player will complete a move elsewhere on this occasion. The Seagulls, thus, might revitalize their interest in the Scotsman and the player, too, might complete the switch to have a taste of English football.
Southampton
Southampton are hailed for their scouting network who tied down Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster and Victor Wanyama from Celtic in recent years. They have earned enormous reputation in English football and Armstrong might just be the newest addition to the list of transfers made from Celtic to Southampton. The Saints were interested in the Scotsman last summer and are likely to revive their inquiry about Armstrong’s availability. But they are currently in the drop zone and fighting hard to escape a relegation scare. It will strengthen their stance in chase of the versatile medio if they manage to stay up in the league and start an early build up for the forthcoming campaign.
Everton
Everton invested heavily in summer to compete for a place in Europe but performed miserably under Ronald Koeman which led to the Dutchman’s sack who got succeeded by Sam Allardyce. The Toffees are known for promoting British talents and were interested in the Celtic star last summer after a scintillating campaign where he netted 17 times in all competitions. His £7 mil price-tag must not be a hurdle for the Merseyside Blues if they wish to tie him down at Goodison Park and hand an enticing opportunity to flourish in English football.
